Delhi Assembly's Peace & Harmony Committee Summons Facebook India's Representative

The Delhi Assembly's Committee on Peace and Harmony has 'summoned' Facebook India's competent senior representative(s) to appear before it on November 2, to depose on the important role of social media in curbing the spread of false and malicious messages.

"Since, Facebook has lakhs of users in the NCT of Delhi, in the above-stated context, the Committee has decided to hear the views of representative(s) of Facebook India," the notice issued to Facebook India avers.

Significantly, the Notice stresses that social media has a very important role in curbing the spread of false, provocative, and malicious messages which can fan violence and disharmony.

The notice also refers to the aim of the committee to recommend preventive and remedial measures concerning issues of governance, social cohesion, unity, brotherhood, and peace. 

Importantly, the committee has already heard various persons including journalists, former bureaucrats and community leaders to offer their evidence and suggestions on this issue.

Facebook India has been asked to send the names/designations of their representatives who would appear before the committee through e-mail to the Committee by 31st of October by 4 PM or before.

Failure to send a representative as summoned could in terms of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Legislative Assembly of NCT of Delhi lead to the initiation of proceedings for breach of privilege/contempt of the Assembly, the notice further states.

The committee's head, Raghav Chadha, posted on Twitter that the Summons to Facebook India have been issued in accordance with the Supreme Court's judgment in 'Ajit Mohan & Ors v. Legislative Assembly NCT of Delhi.

Summons to Facebook India have been issued in accordance with Supreme Court's judgment in 'Ajit Mohan & Ors v. Legislative Assembly NCT of Delhi' dated 8.7.2021, wherein Hon'ble SC held that Committee has powers to direct Members & Non-Members to appear before it & depose on oath pic.twitter.com/hmixjZKbKt

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) October 29, 2021

In Ajit Mohan's case, the Supreme Court had refused to quash the summons issued to Facebook India Managing Director Ajit Mohan by the Peace and Harmony committee of the Delhi Assembly Committee seeking his appearance in an inquiry related to the Delhi Riots.

'Delhi Can Ill-Afford Another Riots; Role Of Facebook Must Be Looked Into': Supreme Court Upholds Delhi Assembly Summons

The Court also upheld the power of the committee to direct the Members and non-Members to appear before the Committee and depose on oath.

Significantly, Ajit Mohan had approached the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution challenging the summons issued by the Peace and Harmony committee of the Delhi Assembly, headed by Raghav Chadha MLA, to probe the role of fake social media posts in creating communal riots in North East Delhi in February 2020.

The Court rejected the argument that the Delhi Assembly has no legislative competence to enquire into the matter of Delhi riots. The committee has right to seek information on any matter related to peace and harmony without encroaching in any subject of the Union under the 7th schedule.

Importantly, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of NCT of Delhi had, in March 2020, constituted a Committee on Peace and Harmony under the Chairmanship of Chadha along with other members of the Legislative Assembly to recommend suitable measures to defuse the situation and restore harmony among religious communities, linguistic communities or social groups.